Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., will this month lead the second Congressional Delegation to the Netherlands to study the Dutch integrated water management system. Louisiana and administration officials, including EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, will join Sen. Landrieu to study the world-class water management and flood protection system in the Netherlands, which shares many of Louisiana’s challenges in protecting populations and economic infrastructure below sea level.
In early 2006, Sen. Landrieu along with the Royal Netherlands Embassy led an initial Codel to the Netherlands. Since 2006, Louisiana has made progress in protecting coastal communities, including 100-year flood protection for the New Orleans region to be completed by 2011, but this trip will help the state assess remaining challenges. Sen. Landrieu will also explore policies, which may include innovative Dutch technologies and practices, that can reduce the persistent delays and cost overruns of Army Corps of Engineers projects.
Also joining the CODEL:
Director, Governors Office of Coastal Activities Garret Graves, New Orleans City Council President Jackie Clarkson; Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East Regional Director Bob Turner; Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers representatives from Corps headquarters and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army; Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Staff Director Bettina Poirier; New Orleans Director of Disaster Mitigation Dr. Earthea Nance; American Planning Association Executive Director/CEO Paul Farmer; LEVEES.ORG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SANDY ROSENTHAL; American Society of Civil Engineers President Wayne Klotz; Center for Planning Excellence, Camille Manning-Broome; Louisiana Speaks, Lee Einsweiler; LSU Hurricane Center Interim Director Joseph Suhayda.
CODEL SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, May 26: AMSTERDAM
Site visit and briefings include: Amsterdam WaterNet, the city water management and supply agency, on living with water: flood control, ground and surface water levels, water quality and ecosystem health; Amsterdam City Architect Ton Schaap briefing and tour of the Eastern Docks and Ijburg: discussion of successful redevelopment projects, as well as water management, flood safety and economic vitality working in tandem.
Wednesday, May 27: THE HAGUE
Briefings include: Association of Dutch Water Boards; Netherlands Parliament, Committee on Water Management; Cees Veerman, Chairman of the Delta Committee; Tineke Huizinga,Vice Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management.
Thursday, May 28, 2009: ROTTERDAM and DELFT
Site visit and briefings include: Rotterdam city architects on Rotterdam Waterplan and the city’s climate-proof initiatives; Delft Technical University briefing on Delta Urbanism; Deltares, the leading research/scientific organization on water, soil, modeling, climate change.
Friday, May 29: KAMPEN
Site visit and briefings include: Officials from Kampen on projects under construction, river diversion for flood safety, flood safety created by dredged material, ecosystem restoration and urban flood risk mitigation efforts.
